Department for Transport

High Speed 2 Railway Line: Wendover

baroness young of old scone: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reports by OTB Engineering, published in January, and Michael Byng, published in July 2017 on the Short-Mined Tunnel alternative proposal to the HS2 Phase One route at Wendover; and whether they will place copies of both reports in the Library of the House.

baroness sugg: The Department for Transport has not received a report by OTB engineering published in January 2019 regarding the HS2 Phase One route at Wendover. The July 2017 report into the Wendover mined tunnel proposal was considered by the Department for Transport after copies of the report were provided to the Secretary of State by members of both Houses from July 2017. Department for Transport Ministers communicated their assessment to those members from October 2017 onwards. It is not appropriate for private correspondence between Ministers and members of either House to be placed in either Library without their consent.

Cycling and Walking: Rural Areas

baroness byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement byBaroness Sugg on 22 November 2018 (HLWS1070), whether rural authorities (1) were invited to respond to, and (2) responded to the Cycling and Walking Investment Scheme: Safety Review Call for Evidence.

baroness sugg: Of the 200 organisations that responded to the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy Safety Review Call for Evidence approximately 40 were from Local Authorities, or local authority affiliated bodies. This included responses from cities, shire counties, district and borough councils and Parish councils. Four responses were from “rural” or “predominantly rural” authorities, and six from authorities that are “urban but with significant rural” areas. The Call for Evidence was widely communicated through local transport press, national press, and via relevant national organisations, including those representing local authorities and rural communities. In addition, Transport Minister Jesse Norman wrote to MPs and to Ministers of the Scottish and Welsh governments. Local authorities of all types were invited to respond.

Air Space

lord kirkhope of harrogate: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Civil Aviation Authority on creating a process to downgrade the classifications of controlled airspace within the UK.

baroness sugg: The Civil Aviation (Air Navigation) Directions 2017 provide the independent Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) with the responsibility for overseeing the design of UK airspace. This includes defining the policy on the classification of UK airspace and how this is implemented. The Government continues to keep under review how airspace is managed and a key policy objective is to ensure that the UK has the minimum volume of controlled airspace consistent with safe and efficient air traffic operations. This issue is being considered as part of the Aviation Strategy green paper, which is currently out for consultation. As co-sponsors of the process, the Government and the CAA have also committed to working collaboratively with all affected stakeholder groups to support delivery in a manner which balances the objectives of each group.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Manufactured Goods: Storage

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the assessment of the Governor of the Bank of England that theremay not be enough space in warehouses for UK manufacturers to stockpile goods in preparation for Brexit.

lord henley: The Government continues to work towards a deal with the EU – this is very much in the interest of the EU as well as the UK – and we are committed to supporting vital industries under any EU exit scenario. Extensive engagement has taken – and is taking – place between Government and industry – including the manufacturing sector – to communicate the actions that businesses can take in preparation for EU exit, and to explore the implications of different scenarios on each sector. We have taken a number of positive steps to ensure that both people, and businesses are prepared for EU Exit, including:Publishing more than 100 pages of guidance for businesses on processes, and procedures at the border;Contacting 145,000 businesses who trade with the EU, and making them aware of future customs procedures;Advising hundreds of ports, traders, pharmaceutical firms, and other organisations that use the border on issues concerning their supply chains; andProviding £8m to support private customs intermediaries, and traders to increase their capacities, and train employees in preparation for EU exit. Businesses can search the public information campaign pages for further up to date material on the considerations of EU exit for businesses, and the practical steps that they will need to take in preparation.

Department of Health and Social Care

Health and Care Professions Council: Fees and Charges

lord balfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the conduct and findings of the consultation undertaken by the Health and Care Professions Council into its registration fees, and the action taken by the Health and Care Professions Council as a result of its findings.

lord balfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to review the decisions by the Health and Care Professions Council taken on 14 February to increase their subscription fees for Allied Health Professionals, including dieticians, paramedics and physiotherapists amongst many others, by 18 per cent from October.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Government has made no assessment of the conduct and findings of the consultation undertaken by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) into its registration fees, and the action taken by the HCPC as a result of its findings. The HCPC is independent of Government, funded by registrants’ fees on a costs recovery basis. Following public consultation, the HCPC is planning to raise its annual fees by £16. If adopted, the HCPC’s annual registration fee will rise from £90 to £106 a year from October 2019. The HCPC registration fees will remain the lowest of any of the United Kingdom-wide health and care regulators. Registration fees are tax-deductible and this fee rise will amount to just over £1 a month extra for most of the HCPC’s registrants.

General Practitioners: Swindon

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on thedemand for GP services in Swindon and the surrounding commuter area that would be caused by any closure of the Swindon Honda plant in 2022; and what urgent steps they are taking toensure there is sufficient GPprovision in that area.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: Swindon Clinical Commissioning Group advise that a primary care assessment will take place in due course and they will work with Swindon Borough Council through the Health and Wellbeing Board to agree steps to mitigate the impact on the population of Swindon and invest in the appropriate services for their patients.

Eating Disorders

baroness parminter: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord O'Shaughnessyon 27 November 2018 (HL11475),what assessment they have made of (1) the proportion of Foundation doctors who receive teaching and training specifically in eating disorders, (2) the average amount of time spent on such teaching and training, and (3) the extent to which Foundation doctors are assessed on their knowledge and clinical skills in relation to eating disorders.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Foundation Programme (FP) curriculum is developed by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC). The curriculum sets out twenty foundation professional capabilities that foundation doctors in training must develop and demonstrate.FP year two doctors provide supporting evidence to demonstrate the capability to recognise, assess and manage patients with long term conditions including patients who may have eating disorders. This can include working with other healthcare professionals to address nutritional needs and communicate these during care planning; recognising eating disorders, seek senior input and refer to local specialist service; and formulating a plan for investigation and management of weight loss or weight gain.Progression to the next stage of training at the end of FP year one and FP year two is dependent on the doctor demonstrating that they have met or exceeded the minimum levels of performance required for sign off for each of the 20 foundation professional capabilities.Health Education England is working closely with NHS England to further understand the current requirements and provision of eating disorder services in order to identify interventions to increase education and training in eating disorders, working with AoMRC as appropriate.

Department for International Development

South Sudan: Forced Marriage

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendations madein thereport by Oxfam Born to Be Married: Addressing child, early and forced marriage in Nyal, South Sudan, published on 18 February,in particular the recommendation to integratethe prevention of, and response to, child, early, and forced marriage with women’s empowerment activities in humanitarian and development planning and programming at all stages of the programme cycle.

lord bates: The UK welcomes Oxfam’s report into child, early and forced marriage (CEFM). The shocking number of girls married before the age of 18 in Nyal demonstrates how women and girls are suffering the worst effects of this brutal crisis.   UK aid considers gender at all stages of the humanitarian and development programme cycle. Specifically, we support several efforts to integrate CEFM prevention and response, and women’s empowerment activities into our work. Education is a key factor enabling girls to avoid child marriage and our Girls Education South Sudan (GESS) programme is keeping up to a quarter of a million girls in school. We also work with International Medical Corps in Nyal and other areas of the country to improve awareness of CEFM and to provide women and girls with information on all forms of gender-based violence, rights and services available. The programme also engages women in income generating activities and provides support to help them set up their own businesses.

Libya: Detainees

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their most recent assessment ofthe conditions for refugees and migrants (1) detained in Libya,and (2) prevented from crossing the Mediterranean; and whatplans they have, if any,to improvethose conditions.

lord bates: The UK Government remains deeply concerned about the conditions for refugees and migrants in detention centres in Libya. These centres are the responsibility of the Libyan authorities, which is why we continue to urge the Libyan authorities to pursue alternatives to detention, and to put in place a better functioning migration system that respects human rights. Where possible, UK aid provides humanitarian support to vulnerable migrants and refugees held in the centres, through the provision of blankets, clothes and legal assistance. In addition, we are working with the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) to improve the conditions for migrants in detention centres.   These efforts form part of our approach to help protect migrants on route to and inside Libya. As part of our £75 million migration programme covering the whole route from West Africa via the Sahel to Libya, we have allocated up to £5 million towards humanitarian assistance and protection for migrants and refugees in Libya. The UK is also supporting assisted voluntary returns, helping to tackle people smuggling, and working intensively to support the political process to end the conflict in Libya.

Syria: Humanitarian Aid

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that there is full access for humanitarian aid providers in southern Syria; and whether they anticipate that conditions will improve sufficiently to enable refugees to returnsafely.

lord bates: The UK continues to closely track the challenges faced there and is pushing hard to improve humanitarian access to this region. We continue to press the regime and its backers to allow unfettered access to reach those in desperate need. Where access allows, DFID funded partners are providing essential support including medical consultations, monthly food rations and relief packages in the South.   The UK is committed to ensuring that any refugee returns to Syria must take place voluntarily, in safety and dignity, in line with international law. The UN has been clear that conditions in Syria are not conducive for refugee returns and we fully support this position.

Treasury

Banks

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that each town and large village retains at least one branch of a mainstream bank.

lord bates: Decisions on the branch network are a commercial matter for banks and Government does not intervene in those decisions. However, the Government believes it is important that customers can still access over the counter banking services wherever they live. That’s why the Government supports the Post Office Banking Framework Agreement, which enables 99% of personal customers and 95% of small business customers to carry out their everyday banking at one of the Post Office’s 11,500 branches.

Gambling: Internet

lord smith of hindhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the amount of revenue that was raised from online gambling in each year between 2010 and 2018.

lord bates: No separate estimate of revenue raised from online gambling has been made, as this information isn’t recorded on trader returns or cash receipts. HMRC publish information on total receipts from all of the betting & gaming duties, including General Betting Duty (GBD), Remote Gaming Duty (RGD) & Machine Games Duty (MGD).

Poverty

lord bird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the letter concerning the impact of Brexit on people and places in poverty from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Shelter, Trussell Trust, Child Poverty Action Group, Action for Children, National Children’s Bureau, Poverty Alliance, Turn2us, Barnardo's, and ATD Fourth World dated 15 February; and what plans they have to (1) lift the freeze on working-age benefits and tax credits, (2) end the five-week wait for the first payment within Universal Credit, and (3) bring forward funding from the Shared Prosperity Fund to create an emergency stimulus package before 2020.

lord bates: The government is tackling the root causes of poverty by getting people into work and giving children the best possible education. A record number of children are now in working households, with 630,000 fewer children in workless households than in 2010.Budget 2018 announced that Universal Credit claimants will continue to receive Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance and Income Support for the first fortnight of a Universal Credit claim. This builds on previous announcements to support people moving onto Universal Credit.The government has committed to establish the UK Shared Prosperity Fund after we have left the European Union and EU Structural Funds. The UKSPF will tackle inequalities between communities by raising productivity, especially in those parts of our country whose economies are furthest behind. We intend to consult widely on the fund shortly; details of the operation and priorities of the Fund will be announced following the Spending Review.

Debts

lord bird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 2 August 2018 (HL9831),when they expect the Breathing Space debt scheme to be fully established.

lord bates: The Government intends to lay regulations for the establishment of breathing space before the end of the year. A consultation on the scheme closed in January. The Government intends to set out its approach to the scheme, including its implementation, in its response to the consultation. The response will be published in due course.

Premium Bonds

baroness byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they allow individuals to leave their premium bonds to beneficiaries in their wills; and if not, why not.

lord bates: The regulations and legislation that govern NS&I determine that Premium Bonds holdings cannot be transferred to a new individual, or inherited. This is to ensure that individuals cannot hold more than one Premium Bond account and prevents individuals from holding more than the maximum Premium Bond investment, currently £50,000. Upon the death of a person, any Premium Bond holdings are repaid to the Executor. Beneficiaries can, of course, choose to invest in Premium Bonds, up to the maximum limit. To allow time for the Estate to be settled correctly, Premium Bonds that have not yet been returned to the Executor remain eligible for the prize draw for up to 12 months following the owner’s date of death.

Banks: Equality

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to help increase diversity and ethnic minority representation in the UK banking sector.

lord bates: It is the Government’s aspiration to see diversity at all levels across the UK’s financial services industry. A diverse workforce is good for business – it is good for customers, for profitability and workplace culture. HM Treasury’s Women in Finance Charter reflects our ambition to see an improved gender balance in the financial services industry. So far, 300 financial services firms have signed the Charter, committing to implement strategic actions to improve their gender balance at a senior level. The first annual review of the Charter showed that the percentage of women amongst senior managers increased by 3% on average and, most crucially, that signatories were taking a wide range of actions to accelerate the pace of change in future years. Our second annual review will be published in March this year. Regarding wider government work to improve diversity in the UK labour market, the Prime Minister launched a package of measures in October 2018 to make the workplace fairer for people from ethnic minority groups, including a Race at Work Charter and a consultation on mandatory ethnicity pay reporting. Over 100 employers have signed up to the Race at Work Charter, including a number of financial services firms, committing to bold actions to drive recruitment and progression of ethnic minorities. Government also fully supports the Parker Review, published in October 2017, which looks at ethnic diversity representation on FTSE100 and FTSE250 boards. The review recommends that FTSE100 and 250 boards should have at least one director of colour by 2021 and 2024, respectively. We continue to monitor the future progress of the recommendations and will work on diversity and inclusion as a top priority in the financial services industry and wider labour market.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Local Government: Devolution

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their devolution framework will seek to empower local government with the powers and funding necessary to boost local economies and create excellent places to live and work.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Enterprise Zones (are at the heart of the government’s support for local economic growth, supporting businesses to expand as part of our wider Industrial Strategy. 48 Enterprise Zones have been established since 2012 across England with sites from Berwick-upon-Tweed in Northumberland to Falmouth in Cornwall.Enterprise Zones are established and operated by Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs). As of December 2016, published data shows they have attracted 877 businesses, £3.5 billion of private sector investment and over 38,000 jobs. *All business rates growth generated by the Enterprise Zone is kept by the relevant LEP and local authorities in the areas for 25 years to reinvest in local economic growth.The Government’s manifesto committed to "providing clarity across England on what devolution means for different administrations so all authorities operate in a common framework". We aim to be able to provide local areas with this clarity on how best to take forward their devolution and local growth ambitions as soon as practicable.* This is based upon EZ monitoring data as self-reported by LEPs.

Social Rented Housing

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the responses to their social housing green paper consultation; and whenthey intend to publish their conclusions on the future of social housing.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The consultation on the Green Paper, ‘A new deal for social housing’, closed on 6 November 2018. We received a large number of responses and are currently analysing these, along with the feedback from eight engagement events which we held with social housing residents around the country, seven roundtables with social housing landlords, and meetings with a variety of stakeholders.We are very grateful for the input that residents, landlords and other stakeholders have provided throughout this process.

Local Government: Devolution

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish the 2017–18 Devolution Annual Reports as required by the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government intends to publish the 2017-18 Devolution Annual Report shortly.

Controlling Migration Fund

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the £1.75 million allocated to the Controlling Migration Fund has been distributed to local authorities to help refugees find permanent housing.

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many local authorities have received funding from the Controlling Migration Fund to help refugees find permanent housing.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has awarded £1.75 million from the Controlling Migration Fund to support 35 new Local Authority Asylum Support Liaison Officer (LAASLO) pilots. These will operate across 19 local authority areas with some of the highest numbers of asylum seekers, and will offer tailored support to newly recognised refugees. This will include working closely with other agencies during the 28-day move-on period, to secure accommodation for new refugees following a successful asylum decision.

Empty Property

lord bird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatestimate they have madeof the number of empty homes in the England;and whatsteps they intend to take toreduce the number of such empty homes.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Statistics on vacant dwellings in England and in each local authority district are published in the Ministry’s live table 615 which is available (attached) at the following link. This table shows the annual total numbers of empty homes, those vacant longer than six months and also vacants in the local authority, housing association and other public sector tenures.https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants.There were 605,891 Vacant Dwellings in England on 2 October 2017, an increase of 16,125 (2.7 per cent) from 589,766 on 3 October 2016. Vacant dwellings were 2.5 per cent of the dwelling stock in England on 2 October 2017.There were 205,293 Long-Term Vacant Dwellings in England on 2 October 2017, an increase of 5,148 (2.6 per cent) from 200,145 on 3 October 2016 but remain lower than when records began on 1 Nov 2004 (318,642). Long-term vacant dwellings were 0.9 per cent of the dwelling stock in England on 2 October 2017.Rates of council tax charged on empty homes are a matter for individual local authorities, who will take into account local circumstances in reaching their decision. In 2018, 299 out of 326 authorities reported that they were charging a premium on some of their empty dwellings, up from 291 in 2017.



Live table 615
(Excel SpreadSheet, 2.73 MB)

Social Rented Housing: Refugees

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the quality of social housing used for refugees.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Successful asylum seekers who are granted refugee status are eligible to be allocated social housing. Where they apply for social housing, they will have their housing needs considered on the same basis as other eligible applicants in accordance with the local authority’s housing allocation scheme.The Regulator of Social Housing’s standards (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/regulatory-standards) include a requirement for tenants’ homes to meet the government’s Decent Homes Standard. In the Social Housing Green Paper, we asked whether the Decent Homes Standard should be reviewed. We also invited views on whether new safety measures introduced in to the private rented sector should apply in the social rented sector. We expect to set out the government’s response to the Green Paper in Spring 2019.

Housing: Asylum

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the adequacy of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 and its operation in regard to (1) asylum accommodation, and (2) refugees who are homeless.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Homelessness Reduction Act is the most ambitious reform to homelessness legislation in decades and placed new duties on local housing authorities to take reasonable steps to try to prevent and relieve a person’s homelessness. Acting earlier and for a broader range of people means more people will get the help they need before they face a homelessness crisis. We have committed to reviewing the implementation of the Act, including the resourcing of it and how it is working in practice for a wide group of people, by March 2020.

Retail Trade: Urban Areas

baroness boycott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any disparity in high street rent rates between large chains and small businesses; what is the reason for any such difference in those rates; and whether they intend to introduce lower rent rates for small independent health food outlets on the high street.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Department does not hold the information requested, as the level of rent paid by the tenant of a commercial property is agreed by the landlord and tenant on an individual basis. This information is not reported centrally. We do not currently have any plans to regulate the rents for small independent health food outlets on the high street.At the Autumn Budget, we set out Our Plan to support the sustainable transformation of high streets, which included a £675 million Future High Streets Fund, to support local areas in England to invest in town centre infrastructure, to increase access to high streets and support redevelopment and densification around high streets.

Ministry of Defence

Combined Cadet Force: Air Force

lord kirkhope of harrogate: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manyCombined Cadet Force Royal Air Force cadets (1) applied to attend, and (2) were allocated places at Easter and summer camps to be held at Royal Air Force stations in 2019.

earl howe: The total number of Combined Cadet Force (CCF) Royal Air Force cadets who applied for Easter and summer camps at Royal Air Force stations in 2019 was 2,673 with 197 applying for Easter and 2,476 applying for summer.A total of 776 have been allocated to the summer camps at Royal Air Force stations. No CCF places were allocated to Easter Camps at Royal Air Force Stations.

Home Office

Immigration: EU Nationals

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the difficulty faced by public service providers in differentiating between citizens of other EU countries who have (1) applied for, (2) received, and (3) not applied for settled status; and what steps they will take to prevent discrimination against such citizens by (a) employers, (b) landlords, (c) schools and colleges, (d) the NHS, and (e) providers of other public services, following the UK’s departure from the EU, (i) during a transition period, (ii) following a no-deal exit, and (iii) in any circumstance before the deadline for application for settled status.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government has made clear that the current arrangements for conducting checks on EU nationals, involving the use of national passports and identity cards, will not change before the introduction of the future skills-based immigration system in 2021The bodies responsible for conducting statutory eligibility checks, including employers, landlords, the NHS and colleges, will not be required to differentiate between citizens of EU countries resident in the UK who have applied for, been granted or have yet to apply for status under the EU Settlement Scheme during any transitional period, including in the event the UK leaves the EU without a deal. The Government’s published White Paper on the UK’s future skills-based immigration system states that we will not require employers to undertake retrospective right to work checks on existing employees when the new system is introduced. The Government will ensure the position on the status and eligibility of EU citizens to access work and services during this period is clear in guidance to employers and other bodies. All residents of the UK continue to be protected against unlawful discrimination by the Equality Act 2010 and equivalent legislation in Northern Ireland, and we will work with the statutory equality bodies to monitor the operation of these arrangements. The Home Office has engaged with a wide range of groups, including UK employers, landlords and financial service providers, on the EU Settlement Scheme and the future skills-based immigration system.

Immigration: EU Nationals

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children in care in England are citizens of other European countries and do not have dual nationality with the UK;and what steps are they taking to ensure that they are granted settled status.

baroness williams of trafford: This data is not regularly collected by local authorities.The Home Office has a comprehensive vulnerability strategy and we are working in partnership with vulnerable group representatives, local authorities and other experts to identify user needs and provide the needed support. Five local authorities participated in the recent Private Beta test phase of the Settlement Scheme and made applications on behalf of some looked after children in their careLocal authorities have been participating in teleconferences to help inform and prepare them for the full opening of the scheme on the 30th of March 2019. In addition, specific guidance is being produced to assist local authorities in making applications on behalf of looked after children and a unique number is available to them to call the Settlement Resolution Centre with access to specialist support.

Immigration: EU Nationals

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what monitoring and oversight systems are in place to check the accuracy and reliability of automated checks on applications for settled status by EU citizens in the UK; and in what proportion of cases, in each of the pilot schemes,errorshave been found that resulted in the need for the intervention of a person.

baroness williams of trafford: Decisions to grant settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme are not automated. The scheme does use some elements of automation to make the application process streamlined and user-friendly. Such processes include the self-verification of identity and checks with existing government data. Each of these checks follow established rules to ensure accuracy and reliability.There are several reasons why the automated element may need specific intervention by a person other than a system error. Inexact information supplied by an applicant, held by Government departments or their employers would mean a match to their records cannot be made or recorded. We do not make adverse decisions, like a decision to refuse an application for settled status, on the basis of automated decision making.The scheme is still in the pilot phase and will open fully from 30 March. To date, 79% of applicants have been granted status based on government data without having to submit additional residence information. We do not expect a 100% match rate as those without a tax history and not in receipt of benefits or a state pension will have no matched government records.The Home Office continually monitors all elements of the application process and continually improves them.

Immigration: EU Nationals

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the failure of any applicant for settled status by EU citizens in the UK to take out comprehensive health insurance will have any impact on the decision whether to grant such status.

baroness williams of trafford: The UK has decided, as a matter of domestic policy, that the main requirement for eligibility under the EU Settlement Scheme will be continuous residence in the UK. Those applying under the scheme will not be required to show that they meet all the requirements of current free movement rules, such as any requirement to have held comprehensive sickness insurance or generally to detail the exercise of specific rights (for example, the right to work) under EU law.

Immigration: Children

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a person under the age of 18 can apply for settled status in the UK if none of their parents are able or willing to do so, or otherwise.

baroness williams of trafford: A child under the age of 18 can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme independently of their parents.

Hazardous Substances: Licensing

lord leigh of hurley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many applications for explosive precursors and poisons licences have not been granted within one month of application in the last year.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office aims to process all applications within 28 days of receiving all relevant information from the applicant. 86% of licence applications within the last year were processed within 28 days of receiving all relevant information from the applicant.

Hazardous Substances: Licensing

lord leigh of hurley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of explosive precursors and poisons licences are granted within one month of receipt of the application.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office aims to process all applications within 28 days of receiving all relevant information from the applicant. Within the last year, 86% of all licence applications were processed within 28 days of receiving all relevant information from the applicant.

Hazardous Substances: Licensing

lord leigh of hurley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether all applications for explosive precursors and poisons licences receive written confirmation of receipt and subsequent correspondence receives a reply within one month.

baroness williams of trafford: The explosives precursors and poisons licence application process is online and applicants automatically receive confirmation of their application. The explosives precursors and poisons licensing team aim to respond to all correspondence within 28 days.

Extradition: EU Countries

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to negotiate new post-Brexit extradition arrangements with EU countries.

baroness williams of trafford: The UK is seeking a comprehensive security relationship with the EU which preserves mutually important operational capabilities that enable the UK and EU to continue to work together to combat fast evolving security threats.The Political Declaration agreed between the EU and UK, published on 26 November 2018, recognises that both the UK and the EU want a strong future relationship on internal security. The text specifically reflects a number of areas such as extradition that should be included in the future partnership.Before the UK’s withdrawal from the EU in March 2019, both sides will undertake preparatory work to enable formal negotiations to begin as soon as possible following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. There will be a clear programme to deliver this timetable, which will include the structure and schedule of negotiations.

Cannabis: Licensing

lord wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 14 February (HL13376), how many applications for licences to cultivate high THC cannabis for (1) research and(2) the extraction of cannabinoids they have received since 1 January 2016.

lord wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 14 February (HL13377), how many licences to cultivate high THC cannabis for (1) research, and (2) extraction of cannabinoids they have (a) granted, and (b) refused since 1 January 2016.

lord wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 14 February (HL13378), which applicants have been granted a licence to cultivate high THC cannabis for (1) research, and (2) extraction of cannabinoids in the UK since 1 January 2016.

baroness williams of trafford: Since 2016 we have received and granted 7 High THC cannabis cultivation licences for research and received and granted 30 High THC cannabis cultivation licences for the extraction of cannabiniods.Due to our obligations under the Data Protection Act we do not disclose the names of applicants.

Department for International Trade

Overseas Trade: Far East

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made in negotiations to advance post-Brexit trading relations with (1) Japan, and (2) China.

baroness fairhead: With Japan, the Prime Minister has agreed with Japanese Prime Minister Abe that the two countries should reach an ambitious bilateral agreement, building on the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement. Japan has also expressed its support for future UK membership of the comprehensive and progressive agreement for trans-Pacific partnership (CPTPP). We are continuing to work with Japan to realise these opportunities for a stronger trading relationship. The Prime Minister’s visit to China in January 2018 set a clear vision for an ambitious future trading relationship and she agreed with Premier Li to conduct a Joint Trade and Investment Review. The Review is an analytical exercise to explore all options to strengthen the relationship without pre-judging outcomes. We have made good progress with the Review and aim to conclude this year.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Gambling: Mobile Phones

lord smith of hindhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many mobile phone gambling apps were registered in the UK in each year between 2010 and 2018.

lord ashton of hyde: The Gambling Commission does not track the year to year growth in this area. There are currently 1,375 active websites and apps on the Gambling Commission’s public register. The Gambling Commission’s data does not differentiate between websites and mobile phone apps and the full register can be found at: https://secure.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/PublicRegister/Search?Search=&Sector=Remote

Libraries Taskforce

lord bird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they intend to provide to the Libraries Taskforce, now that Arts Council England has assumed responsibility for its work, and given that its current funding arrangements will end in March 2020.

lord ashton of hyde: Government funding for the Libraries Taskforce is currently confirmed until March 2020. Arts Council England receives funding for the work streams that it is leading on behalf of the Taskforce. Decisions about the Taskforce’s future are yet to be made, and as with all government spending, funding beyond this period will be considered as part of the next Spending Review.

Charities

lord hodgson of astley abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Charity Commission is required to make public the advice and guidance it gives to charities where it has determined that the charity has been in breach of (1) charitable, and (2) Charity Commission guidance.

lord ashton of hyde: The Charity Commission has published policies setting out when it will publish an inquiry or operational case report. The Charity Commission has discretion about what to include in these reports. It is not practical to publish details each time the Charity Commission opens compliance cases, statutory inquiries or uses its powers, including issuing advice or guidance. The Charity Commission reports on its work broadly and on a thematic basis, including an annual report on its work dealing with wrongdoing and harm. These reports explain the commission’s approach to investigations and compliance case work. They give details of the volume and nature of cases dealt with in a given year and include case study examples. All of the Charity Commission’s general advice for trustees, to give them the tools and understanding they need to succeed, is published and available on gov.uk.

Charities

lord hodgson of astley abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of whether the Charity Commission can use the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to refuse to disclose to a complainant the regulatory advice given to a charity under section 15 of the Charities Act 2011, following investigation of that complaint.

lord ashton of hyde: As with all public authorities, the Charity Commission works in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and releases requested information unless there is good reason not to. The Charity Commission responds to requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 on a case-by-case basis. It can refuse to disclose information if, for example, under Section 31 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, it would be prejudicial to the Charity Commission’s functions and not in the public interest to disclose. An internal review procedure is available in cases where the Charity Commission has refused to disclose information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. If the individual requesting the information remains dissatisfied with the Charity Commission’s final decision they can make a complaint to the Information Commissioner.

Gambling: Internet

lord smith of hindhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many online gambling businesses were registered in total in the UK in each year between 2010 and 2018; and of those, how many were newly registered in each of those years.

lord ashton of hyde: Gambling operators can hold a number of licences to allow for multiple forms of activity, including software development and offering gambling services directly to consumers. The number of licences can change as operators add, merge or surrender licences. The number of unique licensees that held a licence for at least one activity that relates to the provision of 'online' gambling services, whether Business to Business or Business to Consumer, permits operating a gambling website were as follows: March 2015 - 281March 2016 - 286March 2017 - 291March 2018 - 317 The number of new operators that obtained a licence that permits an 'online' presence in each calendar year was: 2015 - 632016 - 472017 - 522018 - 36 These numbers include some Business to Business licensees who have selected not to offer Business to Consumer services. Data for the period prior to the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014, which moved the regulation of online gambling in the UK to a point of consumption basis, is limited.

Tourism: Trade Competitiveness

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the UK will remain competitive in the tourism sector in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

lord ashton of hyde: We are working with the tourism and hospitality sector to ensure it remains globally competitive. Whether the UK leaves with a deal or not, the UK and the EU have proposed reciprocal visa-free travel arrangements to enable UK and EU citizens to continue to travel freely for tourism in the future. The Government has also confirmed that EU nationals can continue to travel on a national ID card until December 2020 and use e-gates when travelling on a passport. The Home Office has also announced that the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore and South Korea will be added to the list of countries whose nationals will be eligible to use ePassport gates to enter the UK from Summer 2019. For those visitors who need a visa, the UK Visas and Immigration service (UKVI) aims to deliver a world-class customer experience that is competitive, flexible and accessible. UKVI have a number of projects underway that will deliver significant customer service improvements this year. In terms of access to labour, the Government has confirmed that in a no deal scenario EU nationals can work or study in the UK for up to three months and those who wish to stay longer will need to apply to the Home Office for leave to remain within three months of arrival. Subject to identity, criminality and security checks, leave to remain will be granted for 36 months which will include permission to work and study. Those who wish to stay longer-term will need to apply in due course under the future immigration system. We will continue to engage with the tourism sector through the Tourism Industry Council on the proposed future immigration system from 2021. The proposed tourism sector deal, which is in formal negotiations, has a strong focus on competitiveness through boosting connectivity (both transport connections and digital connectivity) and working with destinations to build quality tourism products that meet visitors needs and expectations. A key focus is also making the sector more attractive to UK nationals through investment in skills, career development and retention policies.